Tuesday, September 7, 2010

Acute ORS

I was the "man in the barrell" over the Labor Day Weekend. It was like being the only duck in the shooting gallery. Patients were being dumped from four states as fast as the ambulances could carry them. The outlying hospitals were doing all they could to get rid of the nonpay medical liabilities. Six were children who had health insurance but the parents had got rid of it "cause they were getting it free from Obama". I guess nobody told them that SCHIP was broke in their state. One was a former Teamsters local president who had worked for a trucking company that went bankrupt. He was a local guy who even appeared in an Obama commercial. Several were elderly patients who couldnt get in to see a doctor and had let their problems get so out of hand that they were immediately turfed.

It seems that acute ORS (Obama Regret Syndrome) is spreading like an epidemic. Unfortunately, it has already destroyed the medical system that could have treated it.

1 comment:

SeaSpray said...

Oh Throckmorton ...I DO hope that if conservatives are elected as is being predicted that they will be able to reverse some of the bad stuff. I have heard talk of it.

In the mean time the ins companies have been raising their rates ..gearing up for 2014 and no doubt cashing in on this.

I love my ins plan. I told my husband the other night that I want to see one of his pay stubs because I want to see if anything has gone up yet. maybe it won't be until next year.

I missed the entire clip ..but I saw where there is a powerful commercial out that comes against the new hc plan. It directs people to the specific pg of the plan where the things they speak of are being put into effect. One of them is that the government will have access to our bank accounts. SERIOUSLY?! Talk about BIG brother!
***************************
I have a friend who now has a bc/bs hsa account. She never looked into her benefits and today there is a concern with a family member ..she is scrambling to find the person a pcp on the plan. I am hoping to get the person in to see my doc..but they have their cut off point and I know he is swamped. Gonna try tho.

Other docs can't do anything until end of month or later.

She tried to call the ins co ..using the customer service number from card and on line.

*NOWHERE* is there an option for talking with a live human being. She even tried going with an option she doesn't need and everything is completely automated and none of the options apply.

I told her if she can't get the person in to a doc then they must go to ED.

But ..then that depletes the savings when seeing a pcp would be a lot cheaper. But given the nature of concern ..they have to do something. I know at our hospital ..the ED staff gives the patients 3 recommendations for follow-up physicians. But ..that is no guarantee they will get in.

Although ..If a specialist required then they will get an appointment. You've written about that many times.